Red Squirrel
No Lifer
Yeah either it's very packed or it's wet snow. Wet snow is like trying to shovel wet concrete, except it weighs even more per volume, or at least it feels like it because of how it sticks.
I actually cannot believe they have not developed a more modern giant snow-thrower assembly than that model.
I got the impression that they only need to roll them out every few years, so there is probably not a lot of motivation for a new design as long as they can keep the old ones running.
Got a real soft spot for old iron, and to see these old rotaries in action really is a moving experience for those so inclined. I must admit to a bit of disappointment to see this Anandtech thread being infested by YouTube style comments, but I will keep hoping for better, cheers, all!
Yeesh I was even more off: I was thinking it was on a frozen segment of the Southern Pacific. And I was trying to think: why the hell are they even plowing snow on a frozen body of water? :biggrin:
On topic: Awesome piece of machinery. I love seeing sturdy and still efficient ancient machinery.
I actually cannot believe they have not developed a more modern giant snow-thrower assembly than that model. I might think a giant corkscrew assembly, or just a series of those rotary assemblies staggered smaller in front of one another, might help them push through deeper snow faster with less waste of fuel trying to push through with more power.
I'd guess the real way to fix this would be a change to the tracks.
Does Nebraska have avalanches?Many have been reconditioned recently. The Nebraska one is actually much older than the ones in the California video.
The one in the Nebraska vid was built in 1915, converted to diesel in 1966, and reconditioned in 2010. BN972559.
http://www.trainweb.org/rrsnowfighting/bnsf.htm
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=201115&nseq=13
Does Nebraska have avalanches?
This was taken in Aurora, NE in 2010. Looks to be about 8-10 feet of snow?
http://wordlesstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Giant-Snow-Blower-Train-1-640x431.jpg
This is the same rotary plow with a few feet of snow on top, #972559. It is based in NE, so presumably they get enough snow once in a while to break it out.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1977531
I like the end of that clip. "we tried that" "how do you get him out, bring more power out?" "yep"http://youtu.be/tF2ZPRmocs4
Pretty cool to see a pile of snow stopping probably 3/4 million pounds of train in such a short distance.
http://youtu.be/tF2ZPRmocs4
Pretty cool to see a pile of snow stopping probably 3/4 million pounds of train in such a short distance.
I like the end of that clip. "we tried that" "how do you get him out, bring more power out?" "yep"
Less talking, more trains please.